MANIFEST DESTINY 560group3 Abe Kim David Straily Jarrod Freeman Abdul Mod-Rokbi “The future of RTS games...”

 What is it? › RTS(Real-time strategy) based game › based on Parker Brother’s board game RISK  Micro-management of armies  Income based model  Strategic flanking maneuvers, unit allocation, combat stances, etc..  Considering Commando/King model as well…

 Four races to choose from › Cyborg, Undead, Human & Orc  Playing against 3 other races(played by AI)  GOAL  Eliminate other races and conquer all barracks.

 Technical Aspects  Dynamic Loading for Map  Artificial Intelligence(AI)  HUD & Minimap  Control  Graphics & Sound  Installer  Many more…

 Ogre3d – Open Source Graphics Rendering Engine  FMOD – Open Source Audio Library  CEGUI – Open Source GUI Library

 XML Scene Loading  Custom Scripting; includes barracks and unit insertion management  Modified version of the dotscene format

 Units Flocking › Separation  Try not to draw units at one same point › Avoidance  Avoid running into other units › Cohesion  Keeps groups moving together  Enemy AI › Attacking algorithm – based on weight given and calculated

 Flocking › based off Open-Steer code › Uses Proximity Databases to determine neighborhoods for regional unit detection. › Key to success is the balancing of numerous variables

 Enemy AI › 3 Races controlled by AI › AI Works in One Group

 HUD › User Interface for gameplay › Eg: › Create unit buttons › Pause Game › Gold Count › Unit Count › Unit & Barrack information

 HUD Info display  loaded from modified.scheme,.lookNfeel,.imageset &.tga files from CEGUI library.  Then dynamically displayed in-game with statistics for each unit using same CEGUI interface.  Contains individualized pictures and information for each Unit or Barrack selected by user.

 Customized look/interface for each race  HUMAN’S  UNDEAD’S  CYBORG’S  ORC’S

 Minimap › Mini world view of the game world › Unit  small square › Barrack  big square

 Basic Controls › Mouse › Keyboard  Camera Control › Scroll wheel  Navigation › Keyboard arrow  Change Map – in Intro  Pause State – Pause Game, change background Volume Level, Exit to Menu

 Enrich game play experience  Animations › Skeleton based animations › are in separate skeleton files, must be loaded at runtime

 Particle effects › read from a material file › generated dynamically based off specific variables set.

 Special Units Have Particle Effects  Blood Effect Upon Death  Health Billboard › Show current health of a unit or a barrack

 Terrain splatting › Can handle up to 10 different textures › Uses two alpha- maps › Blending between textures › Data-Driven

 HYDRAX › generate a custom material file for the water. › D3D9 dependent though.

 Enrich game play experience  Implemented using FMOD library  Sound effects unique to each race background.  Background sound to help player enjoy the game.

 Easy distribution  MSI format (Windows Installer)  Visual Studio Setup Deployment Tools  Customized icon  Features › Create shortcut › Uninstaller › Repair program